Free Poetry Workshops w/Ray Hsu (Berkeley Library)

Work one-on-one with an experienced poetry teacher to receive feedback on your own poetry and craft!

Are you a poet looking for feedback on your own work?

We’re excited to work with award-winning poet, teacher, and Berkeley resident Ray Hsu to offer individual poetry writing workshops to library patrons. Hsu has extensive experience in a number of workshop settings, including one-on-one discussions with poets, and with a number of poetic styles and traditions. This program is open to poets of all levels and experience, particularly those seeking critical and constructive feedback to grow and expand their practice.

Each session will begin with a reading of your original poetry followed by detailed commentary and open-ended conversation. While the sessions are only 15 minutes each, participants should expect to receive useful feedback that they can channel back into their creative practice.

There are two workshop dates:

• Saturday, May 16, 12-3pm
• Tuesday, May 19, 4-7pm

Registration is required!

As limited space is available, there is a waitlist. Please only sign up for one of the two dates (you will not be given time slots for both dates). After registering, a librarian will reach out to you via email to confirm your exact 15-minute time slot, if there is availability.

ABOUT RAY HSU

Ray Hsu is an award-winning poet and teacher with nearly two decades of experience working with writers at every stage of their craft. His books of poetry include Anthropy (winner of the Gerald Lampert Award) and Cold Sleep Permanent Afternoon. He has taught at SFU’s Writer’s Studio, the UBC Creative Writing Program, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and has worked with writers who have gone on to win some of North America’s top literary honours. Ray holds a PhD in Literary Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and currently lives in the Bay Area.